


a comfort in the cold

by InkJackets



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Family Bonding, Family Loss, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tumblr request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29163180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkJackets/pseuds/InkJackets
Summary: It's the anniversary of the death of Félix's father. Adrien tries to comfort his cousin the only way he knows how.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Félix Graham de Vanily
Comments: 5
Kudos: 33





	a comfort in the cold

**Author's Note:**

> this was written in response to the request: 'You look like you could use a hug' with Adrien and Felix, from @goldensmilingbird on tumblr. read the original [here](https://inkjackets.tumblr.com/post/639520433259085824/felix-and-adrien-with-you-look-like-you-could-use)

It was cold and grey in Félix’s room. The flicker of light from the TV he watched did little to dispel the gloom in the room. A blanket of cloud stretched forever out the window, shrouding the world in darkness despite the midday hour – stereotypical British weather accompanied by a pathetic light rain that blustered around in the wind, the occasional drip collecting enough on the panes to leave a trail running down. The mood matched perfectly with Félix’s emotions that day – the anniversary of the death of his father.

Félix flicked through the TV channels, not taking any in, the light casting a blue tinge on to the coffee table and sofa. 

‘I know you don’t want to be here,’ he eventually spoke into the room.

Adrien shifted behind him.

‘Go on, admit it,’ Félix said, not looking at his cousin who stood leaning in the doorway. ‘Say you don’t want to be here.’

‘Why would I say that?’

‘Because it’s true,’ Félix said, flicking to yet another channel. He watched the two on-screen characters yell at each other. ‘You hate me.’

Adrien exhaled. He ran his hands through his hair. ‘I don’t hate you Félix,’ he said, walking over to the sofa. ‘But liking you would be a lot easier if you weren’t so horrible to my friends. I still haven’t forgiven you for hurting them.’

‘ _I still haven’t forgiven you hurting them_ ,’ Félix repeated in a high-pitched mocking tone. ‘Do you have any idea how self-righteous you sound? Go back to Paris if you love them so much.’ He glanced at Adrien and saw the spark of anger in his eyes. 

But then Adrien unclenched his fists and slowly sat on the arm of the sofa, Félix couldn’t help but begrudgingly respect his cousin’s self-control. 

‘Listen, I know all this is hard,’ Adrien began, ‘that losing your father is hard, but…’ Félix rolled his eyes, all respect for his cousin going out the window. ‘I know what it’s like, you know?’ Adrien continued, undeterred. ‘I’ve lost a parent too. I know how you feel.’ 

Félix snorted. ‘You have no idea how I feel.’

‘I do,’ Adrien emphasised, ‘I understand how hard it is to live with, how your life changes overnight forever, how it affects those around you, how…’ he hesitated, ‘how it changes the people you love.’ Adrien looked down and clenched his fists on his knees. ‘Father was never the same after Mother disappeared.’

Félix stood up. ‘At least you still have a father,’

‘Félix,’ Adrien begged. ‘Please don’t push me away. Can’t you—‘

‘No, I _can’t_ , all right?’

‘Yes, you can, just talk to me. Tell me anything, tell me how you feel, how your mother is. What it was like for you after he was gone.’

Félix clenched his jaw and turned away.

‘It doesn’t have to be painful and deep,’ Adrien continued, ‘but it has to be _something_. It will make you feel better I promise!’

Tension rose in Félix at Adrien’s incessant pleading. 

‘Come on, Félix, I’m your cousin! Speak to me, please! Just tell me how you—’

‘Fine, fine!’ Félix snapped, rounding on Adrien, ‘You want to know what it was like for me after Father died? It was the same. Everything was _exactly_ the same!’

Adrien blinked. Confusion blossomed on his face.

‘Mother went about her business as if Father would walk back in at any minute. She barely even acknowledged his death. She…’ Unwanted emotion suddenly rose in Félix's throat but he shoved it back down. ‘She didn’t even go to his funeral. I got sent back to boarding school the day after.’ He raised his eyes, a cold and icy green, and met Adrien’s distressed, bright ones. ‘So excuse me for not believing you know exactly how I feel.’

Adrien stared, stunned; pain filled his eyes as they flicked between Félix’s.

He got up and stepped forward, reaching his hand out, but instantly withdrew it when Félix drew back.

‘What are you doing?’ Félix asked.

Adrien drew his eyebrows together, anguish etched into the lines of his face. ‘You look like you could use a hug,’ he said quietly.

Félix stared at his cousin, unsure of how to respond. He opened his mouth to shut Adrien down with some snarky retort, but the warmth in Adrien’s eyes made him stop. Those eyes, they held none of the coldness so prevalent in his mother’s, nor any of the condescending pity held in the eyes of so many strangers. And the more he stared at them, the more lost he felt.

And then, out of nowhere, the tears rose in his eyes, and he was crying. He was crying and Adrien engulfed him in a hug, and warmth seeped into him and flowed through his veins, spilling down his cheeks, and it felt so good to be held unconditionally like this that Félix hugged his cousin back and buried his head in his shoulder. And he cried for the loss of the parent he’d loved.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know if you liked it :) 
> 
> find me on tumblr at [inkjackets](https://inkjackets.tumblr.com)


End file.
